Bookkeeper charged in theft from parish

The former bookkeeper of a South Jersey parish has been charged with stealing more than $245,000 from his employer.

James Hess, 45, of Sicklerville, surrendered to Washington Township police Monday, authorities said Tuesday. He was charged with theft, falsifying records, and forgery.

Hess was employed as the parish bookkeeper for St. Charles Borromeo Church in Washington Township for three years, said Peter Feuerherd, a spokesman for the Diocese of Camden.

Hess posted $75,000 bail and was released. He could not be reached Tuesday.

Feuerherd said Hess resigned shortly after the alleged theft of $245,257.54 was discovered in March through an independent audit.

The church had missed a mandatory monthly payment to the diocese for employee pensions and health insurance, loan interest, and other obligations, he said.

"There are parishes that have problems with these payments. St. Charles Borromeo was not one of them," Feuerherd said.

St. Charles is one of 70 parishes in the diocese, Feuerherd said.

It was unclear how and when the alleged theft took place. A spokesman for Washington Township police could not be reached Tuesday.

The parish pastor, the Rev. Michael Matveenko, notified parishioners in March of the possible misappropriation by Hess.

A copy of the audit was forwarded to diocese and parish officials and to township police, Matveenko wrote in a June church bulletin.

He wrote that the parish was insured against the loss and was required only to satisfy a $200 deductible.

"Thank you for your kind and prayerful understanding and support; and please keep all involved in this situation in your prayers, including our former bookkeeper and his family," Matveenko wrote to parishioners,